Ex-SPLM official says Sudan’s Bashir must ‘face ICC or commit suicide’
February 19, 2009 (CAIRO) — Edward Lino, a former official with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) which rules the semi-autonomous south urged the Sudanese government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) if an arrest warrant is issued for president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
The UN Security Council (UNSC) issued resolution 1593 under chapter VII in March 2005 referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC.
The ICC judges are expected to release a decision before the end of the month in which they agree to issue an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir on an unspecified number of counts.
Last July the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo requested that the judges issue an arrest warrant for Bashir on three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder.
Ocampo accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
“If the ICC issues an arrest warrant for Bashir he will be practically dead and his Vice President Salva Kiir will replace him” Lino said.
The SPLM figure said that he is convinced that Bashir will face trial in the Hague based court “soon”.
“If he does not surrender himself we will see him on satellite TV handcuffed being prosecuted” he said.
“In the event he is arrested the Sudanese president will have no alternative to trial other than committing suicide” Lino added.
The former southern rebel group and the main partner in the government of national unity have called on the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to challenge the ICC legally to avoid confrontation with the international community.
However the SPLM chairman and 1st Vice President Salva Kiir recently appeared to have shifted positions and warned of ICC indictment on the North-South peace agreement. He also disclosed that he urged the Bush administration to stall the ICC’s move.
(ST)